Beyond Buffum

Contemporary Veterans

C. J. Chivers, "The Fighter," New York Times Magazine. A Marine veteran of the war in Afghanistan is convicted of assault after a night of blackout drinking. It is only after his wartime journal is discovered that the legal system begins to understand how his stateside actions were related to his overseas service.

Mac McClelland, "Is PTSD Contagious?," Mother Jones. What does it mean for military families when veterans bring the war home with them? How do we assess the impact on spouses and children? How do these modern stories make us reflect on Buffum's family, about whom we know very little?